Display-rack.



W. E. NEILL.

' DISPLAY RACK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.7.1917.

LWHEWW Patented. July 23, 19m.

fiwwwwyo ram "WALTER, IE. NFJELL, 01F EJEIGLEWOOJ NEW JERSEY.

DISPLAY-RACK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, -WALTER F. NEILL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Englewood, county of Bergen, and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Display-Back, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a display rack particularly adapted for the displaying of merchandise in haberdasheries, department stores, shops, etc., where it is desirable to place articles on conspicuous exposition.

The object of the invention is toprovide a rack to facilitate this practice, which rack is provided with a plurality of readily detachable shelves adjustable as to height and distance apart, in a simple and expeditious manner.

A further object of the invention is to support the shelves, at" one edge only, so as to leave the remaining edges of each shelf unencumbered, whereby fabries such as silk, linen, etc., may bedraped over the shelves in an esthetic manner for the purpose of exhibiting the same and yet be readily witl1- drawable or removable without interference on the part of the shelf supporting means. Moreover, the rack is preferably so constituted and constructed that it may be readily shifted from place to place, whereby it is adapted to be positioned in the most conspicuous location.

'In its commercial form, the structure is esthetic and dressy in its appearance and adds to the beauty of the place in which it is positioned rather than detracts therefrom as is the case with the usual shelving generally employed for the supporting of fabrics, articles or other merchandise.

Features of. the invention, other, than those specified, will be apparent from the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings;

In the accompanying drawings, l[ have illustrated different practical embodiments of the invention, but the constructions therein shown are to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred practical embodiment of the invention, showing three shelves supported in a predetermined relative and horizontal position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective detail of one shelf specification of Letters I Patent.

Appfication filed. March 7, 1917.

Patented July F53, 1mm.

Serial No. 152,981.

and the means for supporting the same in horizontal position, the shelf being shown as disengaged from its supporting means in the interest of clearness.

Fig. 3 is a detailed perspective of the preferred form of female shelf supporting memher, and

Fig. 4 is a similar view of a slightly modilied form of supporting member with a portion of the shelf cooperating therewith.

Referring to the drawings A designates a suitable base which may be in the form of a casting or may be built up structurally. The base A is preferably provided with a plurality of rollers or other suitable antifriction devices to facilitate the shifting thereof from place to place. Mounted at one edge of the base A are a pair of upright supports B of such height that a shelf supported thereon may be at a predetermined maximum distance from the surface which supports the base. Uprights B are rigidly mounted on the base and preferably maintained in rigid relation. to one another through suitable bracing 6, whereby the whole structure is stiffened and relative movement between the uprights and the base is precluded. i

Spaced vertically in each upright B are a plurality of female. supporting elements in the form of cut-out portions D. Fach corresponding pair of female supporting elementsD of the two uprights are, however, positioned at the same distance from the base A? 0., in substantially the samehorizontal p ane. p

The female supporting elements D may vary in shape but in the preferred form shown iirFigs. 1, 2 and 3, embody a com bination of a notch Z, with amortise (Z communicating therewith. The supporting elements D, in oneupright are so positioned that the notch portions thereof intersect with the. forward and inner lateral face of the upright, while the elements D, of the other upright, intersect with the forward and outer lateral face thereof. Each notch eX- tends laterally through substantially onehalf of the width of its upright and rearwardly through substantially one-half of the thickness thereof. As shown best in Fig. 3, the mortise portions 611 are formed in the lateral faces of the uprights with which the notches (Z intersect, are of the same depth as the depth of the notches, and

intersect, at lower portions with the upper cut faces cl of the notches (Z. With this construction, the female supporting elements appear L-shaped in elevation when viewed ina lateral direction. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 8 all of the elements, D are of the type specified and are equal in dimensions.

Each corresponding pair of female elements D at respective levels is adapted to support a shelf by providing upon such shelf means adapted to simultaneously engage with said elements for the purpose of maintaining the shelf in horizontal position and against inadvertent disengagement from the notches. In Fig. 1 three shelves are shown, each of which is designated E. These shelves may be of any desired shape or contour, the fundamental essential being that each is provided with a pair of male supporting elements F spaced to cooperate with the female supporting elements for the purpose of supporting a shelf in horizontal position. As shown, each shelf is provided with two such rearwardly extending male elements 6 in the form of tenons, substantially identical in dimensions and contour with the notches (Z, and each of which is provided at its end with an upstanding portion 6 shaped and proportioned to correspond with the mortise portion (P;

It will thus be apparent that when one of the male elements 6 is positioned laterally, and in registration with one of the female elements D, alateral shifting of the shelf will cause the tenon e to enter the notch d, the upstanding portion '6 occupying the mortise portion The maleel'ements F are, moreover, formed on each shelf E at a distance apart corresponding to the distance which separates the uprights B so that, by manipulating any shelf E into a position wherein one of its male elements is brought into registration with a complementary supporting element D, it will automatically bring..t e other element F of the shelf into registration with the corresponding female element D of the other upright, so that if the shelf is thereafter laterally shifted both elements F simultaneously enter both complementary'elements D and mount the shelf in, horizontalposition relative to the up rights."

' In the manner specified, the various additional shelves may be positioned in cooperativerelation with the uprights, wherein they will occupy horizontal planes positioned one above'the other. then it is desired to remove any one or more of the shelves, this may beaccomplished by merely reversing the operations specified for causing the latcral shifting of the desired shelf to release the male elements F from their female elements D. These cooperating supporting elements are preferably made so that they have a snug sliding fit, whereby tight engagement results through the cooperation of the parts, and the shelf is rigidly supported on the uprights.

Articles, merchandise or fabrics may be disposed upon the several shelves and the rigidity of the mounting of such shelves will increase with the weight placed upon them. The structure of this invention is preferably made rather light structurally in the interest of appearance and is thus, in its preferred form, intended for the displaying of relatively light articles. However, it may be constructed to withstand great strains by increasing the strength of materials employed in the construction, the dimensions thereof, and suitable bracing. In either instance the uprights B support the shelves at the back thereof only, leaving the remaining edges of the shelves unencumbered, thereby facilitating the positioning or removal of articles thereon, as well as providing a clear view of said articles from all angles.

It will, of course, be understood that the shape of the cooperating supporting elements may be correspondingly varied within reasonable limits without departing from this invention, an example of the modified form of construction being illustrated in Fig. 4. In said modified form the female supporting elements D in the uprights B are shown of square-dove-tail cross section, the depending portion (Z being additional to the construction of elements D hereinbefore described. The male elements F on the shelves E are square-dove-tail shape, the depending portions 6 being added to the construction F of the preferred form.

In its commercial embodiments the display rack of this invention may partake of many various forms. In the form shown in the drawings, it is illustrated as it might be made from wood though this showing is, of course, merely illustrative. The uprights B have been described as substantially vertical and the shelves substantially horizontal. In practice, however, a very neat and strong construction may be produced by mounting the uprights B on the base so that they slant a trifle rearwardly with the shelves inclined upwardly toward their forward end, or in true horizontal planes, as may be desired. The uprights B may, of course, be of any height desired, and provision may be made for supporting any number of shelves. Moreover, while the male joint elements F are illustrated as formed integral with the shelves, these parts may be made separate and attached to the shelves. Thus if the shelves E were of wood the male joint elements F might be made of metal and bolted, or otherwise secured, to the shelves. The particular shapes of the uprights, the shelves, the joint elements or the base are not necessarily limitedto the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, this invention being as broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to se cure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A display rack embodying a pair of spaced uprights, female joint elements formed at corresponding spaced distances on each upright with the entrances of all of said elements facing laterally in the same direction, in combination with a plurality of shelves each of which is provided at its back with a pair of male joint elements complementary to the female joint elements, correspondingly horizontally spaced apart and proportioned to freely slide into and out of said female elements, whereby the two male joint elements of any shelf may be simultaneously inserted, by a lateral shifting of the shelf, into two horizontally corresponding female joint elements of the uprights for detachably mounting the shelves in superimposed relation 011 said up rights, said shelves being supported at their backs only, leaving the side and front edges thereof unobstructed by supporting means.

2. A display rack embodying a pair of spaced uprights in corresponding lateral edges of which are formed vertically spaced blind mortises, a plurality of shelves each of which is provided at its back with projecting tenons to correspond with the mortises, proportioned to slide freely into and out of the same, and correspondingly spaced apart, whereby the two tenons of any shelf are adapted, by a lateral shifting of said shelf, to simultaneously enter two correspondingly horizontally positioned mortises for the purpose of detachably supporting the shelf from the back thereof in substantially horizontal position, leaving the remaining edges of the shelf unobstructed by shelf supporting means.

3. In a display rack, a standard provided with a pair of female joint elements spaced apart, with the entrances of said joint elements facing laterally in the same direction, in combination with a shelf provided at its back with a pair of male joint elements complementary to the female joint elements and correspondingly shaped and propertioned to freely slide into and out of said female joint elements, so that the male joint elements of the shelf may be simultaneously inserted, by the lateral shifting of the shelf, into the female joint elements of the stand ard for detachably mounting the shelf on the standard, whereby the shelf is supported from its back only, leaving the side and front edges of said shelf unobstructed by shelf supporting means.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification.

WALTER 1E. NElELlL.

tamer at this patent may be attained for five cents each, by addressing the "commissioner at Wat-eats,

Waehinm 'ten, n, fl. 

